Lufthansa Family and Friends - CPT Check In
Jan 3, 2008, 6:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Tübingen, Germany
Posts: 2,732
Lufthansa Family and Friends - CPT Check In
As we learnt at the FRA DO that LH reads FT - some comments:
Is LH becoming more and more of a UA type irline with non rev being the highest status that can be had in terms of preferential treatment.
´
Checking in for CPT to FRA yesterday - there were huge lines - even for C - no special assistance for status pax - two to three desk were open and a line had formed.
Process was slow - it turned out that the systems was down - so that everything had to be handwritten - BP and luggage tags - and then processed by having the checkin girls going over to ticketing.
Fine that can happen - but when the crew bus arrived - and with the crew at least the same number of civilian clad people the fun started.
Some of the civilians just walked by the line to the front and jumped into the enxt available agent - told me off for being stupid to stand in the wrong line - when I then got to an agent the girl (LH family and friends - LH F&F - who feels that they she did not need to wait in line) goes on about that her boyfriend is the pilot - turned out to be the technican sitting behind the pilots - was flying the plane and that she had been guranteed a jumpseat. ... is she doing in the C checkin area. The check in ladys did nothing to send LH F&F elswhere - but just went on processing them - and listenning to the complaints about why they are only stand by etc.
The complete self assurance of the LH F&F members was just unbeliveable - IMHO I understand that they have a priveledge to use various ticket incentive - but not a RIGHT before paying pax - but then again I have been known to be wrong
The circus then continued on board - as door were closing the line jumpers storm,ed abord and again with the same attitude - I want champagne - why can I not have a window seat - and worse of all that the purser then started to rearrange the paying pax for requests from LH F&F members. Highlight was a discussion between FA and purser on whether the could ask one single guy to change his seat a second time to accomodate some of the LH F&F. They didn't ...
Some of the LH F&F were very vocal about their disapproval of seating arrangements - and formulated this very loudly. Also some where travelling with small kids - and these got the attention befrore anyone one elses wishes / wants where considered - 1 hr into the flight before anything was offered to the normal paying pax.
For crying out loud - it is a priviledge - benefit that comes with the job - but try not to forget those who actually pay for this - en thus ensuring that the LH F&F have a job
A last comment - that goes with a an already open thread.
LH and LX has the same owning company - and puts appereantly a lot of effort on the training of their personel.
Why are the pursers IME so incapable to introduce themselves - bricht ein Zacken aus deren Krone - just to say hello ? Did not happen on the return - on the outbound the purser comes up a few minutes before landing and without introduction asks if I have any complaints - and before my response already moves on - just like getting a ACM to ensure there will be no fallback.
LX is fully capaple IMHO on any given flight for the Maitre de Cabin to spend x seconds of personlized introduction - in any class.
Will look forward to my flight tomorrow to HKG - with LX
Cheers
Thomas
Is LH becoming more and more of a UA type irline with non rev being the highest status that can be had in terms of preferential treatment.
´
Checking in for CPT to FRA yesterday - there were huge lines - even for C - no special assistance for status pax - two to three desk were open and a line had formed.
Process was slow - it turned out that the systems was down - so that everything had to be handwritten - BP and luggage tags - and then processed by having the checkin girls going over to ticketing.
Fine that can happen - but when the crew bus arrived - and with the crew at least the same number of civilian clad people the fun started.
Some of the civilians just walked by the line to the front and jumped into the enxt available agent - told me off for being stupid to stand in the wrong line - when I then got to an agent the girl (LH family and friends - LH F&F - who feels that they she did not need to wait in line) goes on about that her boyfriend is the pilot - turned out to be the technican sitting behind the pilots - was flying the plane and that she had been guranteed a jumpseat. ... is she doing in the C checkin area. The check in ladys did nothing to send LH F&F elswhere - but just went on processing them - and listenning to the complaints about why they are only stand by etc.
The complete self assurance of the LH F&F members was just unbeliveable - IMHO I understand that they have a priveledge to use various ticket incentive - but not a RIGHT before paying pax - but then again I have been known to be wrong
The circus then continued on board - as door were closing the line jumpers storm,ed abord and again with the same attitude - I want champagne - why can I not have a window seat - and worse of all that the purser then started to rearrange the paying pax for requests from LH F&F members. Highlight was a discussion between FA and purser on whether the could ask one single guy to change his seat a second time to accomodate some of the LH F&F. They didn't ...
Some of the LH F&F were very vocal about their disapproval of seating arrangements - and formulated this very loudly. Also some where travelling with small kids - and these got the attention befrore anyone one elses wishes / wants where considered - 1 hr into the flight before anything was offered to the normal paying pax.
For crying out loud - it is a priviledge - benefit that comes with the job - but try not to forget those who actually pay for this - en thus ensuring that the LH F&F have a job
A last comment - that goes with a an already open thread.
LH and LX has the same owning company - and puts appereantly a lot of effort on the training of their personel.
Why are the pursers IME so incapable to introduce themselves - bricht ein Zacken aus deren Krone - just to say hello ? Did not happen on the return - on the outbound the purser comes up a few minutes before landing and without introduction asks if I have any complaints - and before my response already moves on - just like getting a ACM to ensure there will be no fallback.
LX is fully capaple IMHO on any given flight for the Maitre de Cabin to spend x seconds of personlized introduction - in any class.
Will look forward to my flight tomorrow to HKG - with LX
Cheers
Thomas
Jan 3, 2008, 6:26 am
#2
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In large parts, this sounds like a mirror of my HAM-GIG-HAM trip.
Well, it's quite simple. LH has a rule that employees flying over X-Mas and New Year can bring a F&F member along - for free. F&F of FAs will fly in C, F&F of the cockpit crew in F. Also expect crying infants in F.
Of course, everybody is taking advantage of this offer. Can't blame them for that.
However, there's a tiny difference:
With MUC flights, the F&F trips usually turn out to be a civil endeavor, paying pax in F won't notice much of a difference.
On FRA flights, it's all about entitlement: basically a big family outing, with paying pax spoiling the party.
Well, it's quite simple. LH has a rule that employees flying over X-Mas and New Year can bring a F&F member along - for free. F&F of FAs will fly in C, F&F of the cockpit crew in F. Also expect crying infants in F.
Of course, everybody is taking advantage of this offer. Can't blame them for that.
However, there's a tiny difference:
With MUC flights, the F&F trips usually turn out to be a civil endeavor, paying pax in F won't notice much of a difference.
On FRA flights, it's all about entitlement: basically a big family outing, with paying pax spoiling the party.
Jan 3, 2008, 6:30 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BTS/VIE
Programs: LH MM**, HH Silver
Posts: 2,282
Not a nice story. I hope you were not involved in the seat shuffling? 
Btw., waiting for that certain member to appear and comment on the FRA/MUC crew differences
***edit: He's already done it!!
Btw., waiting for that certain member to appear and comment on the FRA/MUC crew differences
***edit: He's already done it!!
Last edited by whiskey_sk; Jan 3, 2008 at 6:31 am Reason: flysurfer is faster than light...
Jan 3, 2008, 6:33 am
#4
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Jan 3, 2008, 7:38 am
#6
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,184
You should definitely send a complaint to LH about the PAD (LH lingo for F&F) behaviour. In the LH FA forum a FA is upset that her purser noted in her record that she was too casually dressed in C while deadheading back with her BF. So supervisors do take note. Last year when returning from CCU I had a bunch of PAD R2s booked in C reseated into F and taken good care of. We've discussed this at length in a thread at that time, so I won't recount the experience.
Jan 3, 2008, 10:05 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: MUC (home), DUS (office), XXX (customer)
Programs: LH, AB, SPG, CC, Sixt, EC
Posts: 6,334
If I had been on that flight, I would have played the a..h.... (in the LH F&F eyes) and would have made a huge stink already. And if they would show me an attitude afterwards during the service, I would even report it afterwards to LH. This is more than ridiculous and you SHOULD file a complaint. They definitely need a note in their file!
Jan 3, 2008, 10:49 am
#10
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At least I had a nice and professional FRA based crew and good service while I was onboard. Even though they had limited supplies to work with on the inbound.
Jan 4, 2008, 7:40 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Germany
Programs: Miles and More
Posts: 222
hello there,
well actually this is a very easy case, the travel policies for lh members, families and travel partners is pretty strict, starting with a dresscode goin over behaviour to the acceptance on a flight and some more.
when a travel partner, lh employee or family member behaves ridiculos and not according to the rules its a simple thing the bonus of cheaper traveling can be revoked at any time. pad pax have to act that the full paying people is not affected in anyway, this means stand in line and wait, dont ask for seatchanges in the plane (only at the gate and only when the gate personal has time) and such. if a pad doesent act like this and has a very bad behaviour like it was in your case, i would definitely complain about that and also write in my complaint that this experience is one of the kind that you never like to make again. iam pretty sure that the poor mechanic gets some problems (i know some colleagues that was refused to travel as pad for 1 year after they did act incorret). allthough iam not very fond of hitting with a stick on people that couldnt do anything for the behaviour of their relaives i think they should pay for that since they didnt make it clear to their realtives how to behave. well ".... is flying from up till down" means the guy gets some problems and will be *uhm* pretty mad at his girlfriend maybe he even sleeps on the sofa then *giggle*
long story short, write a complaint since such behaviour towards a full paying passenger is not acceptable in any way.
edit: on a side not the status says it all
PAD stands for Passenger Available for Disembark
means the passagier is available to be offloaded and comes ALWAYS AFTER THE PAYING PASSENGERS
well actually this is a very easy case, the travel policies for lh members, families and travel partners is pretty strict, starting with a dresscode goin over behaviour to the acceptance on a flight and some more.
when a travel partner, lh employee or family member behaves ridiculos and not according to the rules its a simple thing the bonus of cheaper traveling can be revoked at any time. pad pax have to act that the full paying people is not affected in anyway, this means stand in line and wait, dont ask for seatchanges in the plane (only at the gate and only when the gate personal has time) and such. if a pad doesent act like this and has a very bad behaviour like it was in your case, i would definitely complain about that and also write in my complaint that this experience is one of the kind that you never like to make again. iam pretty sure that the poor mechanic gets some problems (i know some colleagues that was refused to travel as pad for 1 year after they did act incorret). allthough iam not very fond of hitting with a stick on people that couldnt do anything for the behaviour of their relaives i think they should pay for that since they didnt make it clear to their realtives how to behave. well ".... is flying from up till down" means the guy gets some problems and will be *uhm* pretty mad at his girlfriend maybe he even sleeps on the sofa then *giggle*
long story short, write a complaint since such behaviour towards a full paying passenger is not acceptable in any way.
edit: on a side not the status says it all
PAD stands for Passenger Available for Disembark
means the passagier is available to be offloaded and comes ALWAYS AFTER THE PAYING PASSENGERS
Jan 4, 2008, 9:01 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: LH HON, Marriott Platinum, Priority Club Platinum, Sixt, Hertz, Europcar
Posts: 182
Hi Thomas,
funny: I am in CPT right now, flew in on the day you flew out. Pity!
You should definitley write to LH about this. Totally unacceptable. You know "Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein..." (This will give some funny results on any online translation engine).
Hope you had a good time anyway. The weather is great (except for the gale force winds yesterday).
Have a good time in HKG (going there probably in Feb.)
Christian
funny: I am in CPT right now, flew in on the day you flew out. Pity!
You should definitley write to LH about this. Totally unacceptable. You know "Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein..." (This will give some funny results on any online translation engine).
Hope you had a good time anyway. The weather is great (except for the gale force winds yesterday).
Have a good time in HKG (going there probably in Feb.)
Christian
Jan 4, 2008, 5:50 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: M&M: HON/*GOLD
Posts: 75
It can also work ok!
Flew MUC-EWR on 12/30. The crew had two nights off in New York and their partners with them. They were all excited, in the best of spirit and delivered a great service. The PADs behaved very well -- at least up in the front!
However, the last time in BOS two PAD occupied the First-Class check-in counter for what seemed ages, while full fare paying passengers had to wait. When being served at the Business-Class counter I raised that point but was told that they know but "cannot do anything, these are cockpit crew." I for one don't know whether that was true or not but I found this statement rather irritating.
Jan 4, 2008, 7:46 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Munich, Germany
Programs: LH HON, DL FO/MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Accor Lifetime Platinum, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 6,174
Thomas,
good that you started this thread - I felt fairly close starting my own since this F&F and non-rev stuff has also more than annoyed me over the holidays with the bunch of LH flights I did during those days...
A few datapoints from my side:
There are worse things than that, but I certainly did appreciate that LH did not have the UA non-rev party culture so far...
good that you started this thread - I felt fairly close starting my own since this F&F and non-rev stuff has also more than annoyed me over the holidays with the bunch of LH flights I did during those days...
A few datapoints from my side:
- Non-revs were also clogging the MUC F check-in area
- Apparantly, one family was split beween F and C on my MUC-SFO flight, with mum or daugther more than frequently roaming between the cabins
- Courtesy of those non-revs as sometimes more than lacking...
There are worse things than that, but I certainly did appreciate that LH did not have the UA non-rev party culture so far...